1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a floor-cleaning device. More specifically, this invention pertains to a multi-purpose position sensitive floor-cleaning device having a gravity switch that selectively activates at least a first motor to provide power to at least a first implement when the cleaner is rotated or flipped about its longitudinal axis.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the prior art to provide floor-cleaning devices operated by a switch containing two tubes of mercury, also known as gravity switches. For example, gravity switches have been used to create a xe2x80x9cdead manxe2x80x9d condition in floor cleaning devices. U.S. Pat. No. 2,138,279 (""279 patent) (expired) discloses such a xe2x80x9cdead manxe2x80x9d switch. The ""279 patent relates to a control switch that includes two tubes of mercury, which are mounted in a head of a floor care appliance. Each tube includes two spaced contacts, which are interposed in an electric circuit. Rotating handgrips that tilt the mercury tubes to complete the circuit operates the machine. A spring is provided to create the xe2x80x9cdead manxe2x80x9d condition. When the handgrips are released, the spring returns the mercury tubes to the xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d position. Thus, a gravity switch on a floor care appliance for use as a xe2x80x9cdead manxe2x80x9d switch is known in the art. However, the ""279 patent does not disclose the use of a gravity switch to alternate between two or more modes of operation such as scrubbing and suction modes.
It is also known to use a level-sensitive switch to turn off a motor on a carpet-cleaning machine when the handle of the device is tilted. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,944 (""944 patent) (expired), a carpet cleaning machine having a handle, a cleaning head with a brush, a brush motor, a solution supply tank, a rinsing reservoir, a waste tank, a vacuum head and a vacuum pump is disclosed. A level sensitive switch is provided in the cleaning head to turn off the brush motor when the handle is tilted to raise the brush and lower the vacuum head. Further, the ""944 patent discloses that the same level sensitive switch can be used to turn the vacuum motor on when the handle is tilted. Thus, the level sensitive switch disclosed in this patent selectively activates a first motor, namely, the brush motor, when the handle is tilted to lower the brush and raise the vacuum head. In addition, the gravity switch selectively activates a second motor, namely, the vacuum motor, when the handle is tilted to raise the brush and lower the vacuum head. However, the patent does not disclose rotation of the entire unit to selectively activate a mode of operation.
Another example of use of the use of gravity to influence a device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,890 (""890 patent) (expired). The ""890 patent relates to a suction cleaner having a detent mechanism pivotally mounted by a pin on the handle control lever. The detent includes an arcuate surface at one end; a portion on the other side of the pivot pin is weighted so that it is influenced by gravity to rotate the detent when the cleaner is up-ended onto a surface. The detent engages a roller to lock the cleaner in the upright position and prevent actuation of a switch actuator.
The present invention is an improved multi-purpose position sensitive floor cleaning device having two separate and distinct selective modes of operation whereby 180xc2x0 rotation of the multi-purpose position sensitive floor cleaning device selectively activates at least one of the two separate and distinct selective modes of operation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose position sensitive floor-cleaning device having two separate and distinct selective modes of operation whereby 180xc2x0 rotation of the floor-cleaning device selectively activates one of the two separate and distinct selective modes of operation. The two separate and distinct selective modes of operation are, for example, a scrubbing mode for scrubbing an associated floor and a suctioning mode for suctioning associated liquid from the associated floor.
The activation of the one of the two separate and distinct selective modes of operation can be accomplished, in its preferred embodiment, by a gravity switch. The gravity switch activates one of the two separate and distinct selective modes of operation due to the gravitational force acting upon the gravity switch.
Another object of the present invention is the multi-purpose position sensitive floor cleaning device to have a longitudinal axis with a cleaning head at a first end of the longitudinal axis and a handle at a second end of the longitudinal axis, a motor being located between the first and second ends for operating the cleaning head, wherein the improvement comprises a switch for activating and deactivating the motor, the switch activates the motor when the floor care device is rotated about the longitudinal axis and when the cleaning head is placed in contact with the floor surface, and the switch deactivating the motor when the floor care device is rotated about the longitudinal axis to place the cleaning head in a non-contact position with the floor surface.
Another object of the improved multi-purpose position sensitive floor cleaning device is to rotate the floor care device 180xc2x0, thus placing the cleaning head in a non-contact position with the floor surface.
Another object of the present invention disclosed herein is an improved multi-purpose position sensitive floor-cleaning device for cleaning a bare floor. The improved floor cleaning device has a longitudinal axis, a handle, a housing, the housing having first and second ends, the first end of the housing being attached to the handle, at least two separate and distinct modes of operation, the at least two separate and distinct modes of operation, for example, being a cleaning mode and a suction mode, at least one implement operatively attached to the second end of the housing and having an axis parallel to a plane of a floor, the axis being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the improved floor cleaning device, the at least one implement operatively attached to the second end of the housing comprises two implements, the two implements being a power-driven brush and a pump communicating with a nozzle for dispensing a cleaner, the power-driven brush and the pump being located substantially opposite one another, at least one motor operatively connected to the at least one implement, a means for supplying power to the improved floor cleaning device, a means for activating and deactivating the means for supplying power, a means for activating and deactivating the at least one motor, the means for activating and deactivating the means for supplying power being a first switch, the means for activating and deactivating the at least one motor activating the motor by rotating the improved cleaning device 180xc2x0 about its longitudinal axis such that the at least one implement is in contact with a surface of a floor, the means for activating and deactivating the at least one motor selectively deactivating the at least one motor when the cleaning device is rotated about the longitudinal axis such that the at least one implement is not in contact with the surface of the floor, the means for activating and deactivating the at least one motor being a gravity switch connected to the second motor and, wherein the floor cleaning device is a bare floor cleaning device.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by the present invention wherein there is provided a floor cleaning device comprised of a motor housing having first and second ends, a handle attached to the first end of the motor housing, a cleaning housing having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the cleaning housing is attached to the second end of the motor housing, a nozzle attached to the second end of the cleaning housing, a cleaning solution delivery system positioned within the cleaning housing for dispensing unused cleaning solution onto a floor surface and a recovery tank positioned within the cleaning housing for holding dirty cleaning solution. The device further comprises a means for selectively providing power to the suction motor. The means for supplying power is positioned within the motor housing and includes a master switch, a pump, a suction motor for providing power to the pump, a power means for providing an electrical current to the suction motor and a gravity switch operatively connected to the power means and the suction motor. The device further comprises a power driven brush system for selectively providing power to the brush motor. The power driven brush system includes a power driven brush operatively attached to the nozzle and a power driven motor operatively connected to the gravity switch. When the cleaning device is rotated about its longitudinal axis such that the nozzle faces the floor surface, the gravity switch turns off the brush motor and simultaneously turns on the suction motor. In addition, when the cleaning device is rotated about its longitudinal axis such that the power driven brush faces the floor surface, the gravity switch turns off the suction motor and simultaneously turns on the brush motor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of cleaning a floor surface with a floor cleaning device having at least two modes of operation, at least one means for supplying power, at least one means for activating/deactivating the floor cleaning device, the modes of operation being located opposite one another on the floor cleaning device, wherein the method is the steps of placing the floor cleaning device in a first position contacting the floor, rotating the entire cleaning device a first time, the first rotation of the device is preferably a 180xc2x0 rotation, to activate the means for supplying power to the floor cleaning device, and rotating the cleaning device a second time to deactivate the means for supplying power to the floor cleaning device. An additional step includes the method wherein the floor cleaning device further has first and second implements mounted opposite one another on the floor cleaning device and selectively contact the floor, and wherein the step of rotating the device a first time results in either the first or the second implement contacting the surface of the floor.
Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.